2021
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 21-1012
BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Garnett and Neville, Amabile, Bacon, Baisley, Benavidez, Bernett, Bird, Bockenfeld, Boesenecker, Bradfield, Caraveo, Carver, Catlin, Cutter, Daugherty, Duran, Esgar, Exum, Froelich, Geitner, Gonzales-Gutierrez, Gray, Hanks, Herod, Holtorf, Hooton, Jackson, Kennedy, Kipp, Larson, Lontine, Luck, Lynch, McCluskie, McCormick, McKean, McLachlan, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Ortiz, Pelton, Pico, Ransom, Rich, Ricks, Roberts, Sandridge, Sirota, Snyder, Soper, Sullivan, Titone, Valdez A., Valdez D., Van Beber, Van Winkle, Weissman, Will, Woodrow, Woog, Young; also SENATOR(S) Garcia and Sonnenberg.
CONCERNING THE INSTALLATION OF A SCULPTURE ON THE STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS TO MEMORIALIZE MAJOR GENERAL MAURICE ROSE.
WHEREAS, The State Capitol and its grounds contain memorials to the state's political past as well as memorabilia promoting the state's natural environment and history of events, individuals, and ethnic groups; and
WHEREAS, From time to time, proposals for gifts of art and memorials are made to the state to be placed in the State Capitol or on its grounds; and
WHEREAS, Section 24-82-108 (3)(h), Colorado Revised Statutes, requires the State Capitol Building Advisory Committee to establish criteria and a procedure for the evaluation of proposals for gifts of memorials for placement in the State Capitol or on its grounds; and
WHEREAS, The State Capitol Building Advisory Committee's evaluation criteria for a memorial is based partly upon the association the proposed memorial has with a significant event in the state's history, the connection of the memorial with persons significant in the heritage of the state, and its appropriateness to the designated area of the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, The procedure stipulates that, if the Capital Development Committee concurs with the State Capitol Building Advisory Committee's recommendations regarding the placement of memorials on the State Capitol grounds, the Capital Development Committee may make its recommendation for acceptance of the donated art to the General Assembly in the form of a joint resolution introduced during an annual legislative session; and
WHEREAS, Major General Maurice Rose was a Colorado resident and national hero and is an example to future generations of extraordinary patriotism and fortitude; and
WHEREAS, General Rose was born on November 26, 1899, in Middletown, Connecticut, and moved to Denver when he was three years old. He attended Elbert Elementary, Wittier Elementary, and East High School in Denver; and
WHEREAS, General Rose, his parents, brother, wife, and son all lived in Denver until his death in 1945; and
WHEREAS, When German forces in Tunisia were reduced to combat ineffectiveness, General Rose negotiated with their commander, Fritz Krause, on the details of his unconditional surrender; and
WHEREAS, General Rose was the highest-ranking United States serviceman killed by enemy fire in the European theater during World War II and was the highest ranking and most distinguished Jewish American soldier in United States history; and
WHEREAS, General Rose had one of the most distinguished military records and was the most decorated armored battlefield commander in United States history; and
WHEREAS, General Rose was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, French Legion of
PAGE 2-HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 21-1012 Honor, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm; and
WHEREAS, Under General Rose's command, the following firsts were accomplished in World War II: (1) First to fire artillery shells into Germany; (2) First tank unit to enter Germany; (3) First to capture a German town; (4) First to breach the Siegfried line; (5) First to shoot down a German plane with guns placed on German soil; (6) First armor unit to enter the city of Cologne; (7) First ground invasion of Germany since Napoleon; and (8) Record holder of the longest one-day advance in history of one hundred one miles; and
WHEREAS, General Rose never gained the prominence of many of his contemporaries, for reasons including the fact that he did not survive the war, and as an intensely private man, he rarely if ever sought publicity; and
WHEREAS, General Rose died by enemy fire on March 30, 1945, and he is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands; and
WHEREAS, The State Capitol Building Advisory Committee and the Capital Development Committee have approved a plan for placement of a sculpture and an accompanying explanatory plaque to memorialize General Rose on the State Capitol grounds, the boundaries of which are described in section 24-82-108 (3)(a), Colorado Revised Statutes, subject to the State Capitol Building Advisory Committee approving the final design and the specific location; and
WHEREAS, The sculpture of General Rose will be a tribute to Colorado's rich history as well as to an individual and an ethnic group that has not been previously recognized with a sculpture, statue, or monument; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-third General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the Senate concurring herein:
PAGE 3-HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 21-1012 That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, do hereby approve of the plan recommended by the State Capitol Building Advisory Committee and approved by the Capital Development Committee for the installation of the sculpture of Major General Maurice Rose and the accompanying explanatory plaque on the State Capitol grounds.
Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be transmitted to Governor Jared Polis, the State Capitol Building Advisory Committee, and the Capital Development Committee.
______Alec Garnett Leroy M. Garcia SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
______Robin Jones Cindi L. Markwell CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
PAGE 4-HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 21-1012